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Electro-laser
Built on the concept of taser weapons, Electro-lasers are energy weapons that fire two high-end UV beams toward a target, ionizing the air in its path. This has the effect of creating invisible "wires" through which an invisible charge can be directed from the weapon. The effect of an Electro-laser is two-fold. First the target suffers burns from the beam and electrical strike, then they must resist being stunned (some models are more effective than others). Note that it's not necessary for the beam to penetrate the armour for the weapon to stun, however, they are somewhat effective at reducing armour's efficacy. There are some drawbacks to these weapons. Because it uses light instead of matter to create a path, an electro-laser can be susceptible to environmental conditions. Poor visibility will reduce the ability of the beam to make contact with the target. Also, rain or humid environments can cause havoc with the electrical current. The weapon will only apply the burning damage in a vaccum or trace atmosphere because there's nothing to ionize and the stunning effect of the weapon can be easier to resist at longer range. Most electro-lasers are purposely designed to be non-lethal, but all are fully capable of being modified with an optional "kill" setting, where more power is transmitted to the target; it expends two shots instead of one. Purposely reconfiguring a weapon to have a kill setting when it didn't have one may be an offence on some colonies. An electro-laser with a kill setting built in is always LC 2. Types of Electro-Lasers Pistols The Standard Pistol is perhaps the most common electro-laser weapon and the sole reason that police and other law enforcement groups may get some training in the use of beam weapons. This is pretty much its primary implantation, as a non-lethal device for taking fleeing suspects and others "of interest" alive. It is available for civilian purchase but isn't particularly popular, with many favouring either a melee electrical weapon or the holdout pistol version. The Holdout Pistol, while not carrying quite as much charge, is favoured for its incredibly little bulk by many for personal protection. There's no worry about ammunition, it doesn't actually kill anyway, and can knock people out pretty quick. As a result, there's a strong market in personal protection holdout electro-laser pistols. Of course, there's also a strong market in more lethal versions, which are often concealable in the palm of the hand and very capable of being used as a nasty assassination tool, torture device, or an aid for kidnapping. Soji EL9 "Warden" As the forerunner in ETC technology, Soji was one of the earliest commercial producers of electro-laser weapons (something of a precursor). The EL series has long been dependable in the hands of law enforcement, plus its distinctive design makes it a comfortable fit for the same in civilian markets (there's no mistaking it for a conventional gun). Part of this design, however, is the reinforced forward portion of the hand-guard which serve as brass knuckles, and a sturdy poly-carbon frame, allowing the weapon to be used as a quick melee weapon in a pinch (such as a riot situation). The EL9 is the standard electro-laser pistol in common use throughout the Republic. There's only one downside to the Soji Warden; due to the nature of it being a bulk standard model, it lacks the battery life that's come to be expected from other Soji models. It is, however, less expensive than what is expected from Soji, making it a fair trade-off. Other Electro-Lasers Other than the pistol, the Electro-Laser Carbine is perhaps the most common police weapon, primarily for its range, accuracy, and ability to bring down most targets. If you're up against a target that's proving resistant to a carbine, you could always take a step up to the Heavy Electro-Laser, which is a large weapon attached to a portable D-cell pack. Designed for attacking armoured foes and very large fauna, the carrier beam of the heavy electro-laser has been known to cause nasty (but not necessarily lethal) burns. When ordinary paramilitary forces are instructed to pacify a location, but a minimise casualties, an Underbarrel Electro-laser is usually fitted to an assault weapon. Given the utility of the electro-laser pistol, however, few of these see use in civilian circles, but can prove for some entertaining burglaries every now and then. Soji ELR23 Again, Soji dominates the market here, in this case with the ELR23 and its sales to the law enforcement market. They've been trying to scale back production of these recently, however, given that sales figures aren't quite what they'd like (there's even less civilian sales than the pistol) but orders keep coming in, so a few factories are kept online. The ELR23 is a standard Electro-Laser Carbine, though custom tweaking may dial-back the safety limitations and it's notorious every now and again when turning up in criminal circles with an added "kill" setting. Category:Types of Weapon Category:Less-Lethal Weapons